Release · 2026-09-11 to 2026-09-11
Census business applications were 531,728 in August, down 7.8 percent
The U.S. Census Bureau Business Formation Statistics for August 2026, released September 11, said seasonally adjusted business applications were 531,728, a 7.8 percent decrease from July. Projected business formations within four quarters were 28,501, a 4.6 percent decrease from July. The four-quarter formation figure is a projection of payroll startups from the August application cohort, not a count of startups that appeared in August.
- Business applications, seasonally adjusted
- 531,728
- Business applications, monthly change
- -7.8%
- Projected business formations within 4 quarters, seasonally adjusted
- 28,501
- Projected business formations within 4 quarters, monthly change
- -4.6%
Source: Business Formation Statistics, August 2026 — U.S. Census Bureau.
pinned: confirmed previously, no dated source — figures confirmed on 2026-09-21; 2 of 4 not re-printed by the source now (Business applications, monthly change; Projected business formations within 4 quarters, monthly change)
- found Business applications, seasonally adjusted = 531,728 — via FRED BABATOTALSAUS
- not found Business applications, monthly change = -7.8% — source not read (The operation was aborted due to timeout)
- found Projected business formations within 4 quarters, seasonally adjusted = 28,501 — via FRED BFPBF4QTOTALSAUS
- not found Projected business formations within 4 quarters, monthly change = -4.6% — source not read (The operation was aborted due to timeout)
This page is one print. The daily brief for September 11, 2026 is the editor's cut of what mattered that day. Figures are as the named sources printed them. The methodology says how this page is made and what is checked.